Zach Lowe: Rockets inquired about JR Smith, also talked to the Heat

According to a report in the Miami Herald, the Heat has made Tyler Johnson, Hassan Whiteside and Dion Waiters available in trade talks this summer.
The Heat have very little cap flexibility over the next few years; thus, in order to shake up or improve their team, they will need to make trades. Per the Herald's report, Miami hasn’t found an attractive trade market for those three players, which is unsurprisingly considering the money owed to Johnson, Whiteside and Waiters. At this point, it appears likely the Heat will enter next season with the roster as currently constituted.
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https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/barry-jackson/article215423475.html

Riley gave lucrative longterm deals to James Johnson and Dion Waiters in 2017 because he was encouraged by their strong play during the Heat’s 30-11 finish in 2016-17 and because there were other serious competitors for their services in free agency, with Miami concerned about Denver or Utah luring Johnson.

The Heat matched Brooklyn’s four-year, $50 million offer to Tyler Johnson in 2016 because it had just lost Dwyane Wade and believed the backloaded nature of the deal would give it cap space to add players before then (which Miami did with Wayne Ellington, Waiters, James Johnson, Kelly Olynyk and others).

And the Heat didn’t hesitate to offer Whiteside a four-year, $98 million deal in 2016, because it believed other teams would offer him the max.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe said this week on his podcast that Houston has explored trading perimeter-shooting power forward Ryan Anderson, with the possibility of attaching a first-round pick as a carrot and that “I’ve heard [the Rockets] have talked to the Heat. The Heat are kicking a lot of tires. I can’t figure out what they’re trying to do, but I could see like Tyler Johnson, same package, same idea: two years of salary left at about the same number.”

But I’m not sure why the Heat would do that, considering Johnson is making $19.2 million each of the next two years compared with $20.4 million and $21.3 million for Anderson. And Miami, already set at power forward, certainly isn’t eager to add to its luxury tax bill.

We’ve been told by two NBA general managers that the Heat has made Tyler Johnson, Hassan Whiteside and Dion Waiters available in trade talks this summer.

The Heat’s best hope of getting back under the tax threshold might be trading Tyler Johnson for a worse player earning a few million dollars a year less. Such a deal could be appealing to a team not up against the luxury tax.

The Heat hasn’t found an attractive trade market for those three players.

Miami stands $3 million above the luxury tax threshold, with Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem having invitations to return.​

 

Tyler Johnson is intriguing. Especially if we don't have to give up a FRP. We probably do. Olynyk is pretty good too, hate to lose Nene though.

 

Something has got to give in Miami. The first domino will be whether Dwyane Wade is coming back. That adds even more of a glut onto their roster and payroll.

I mentioned this before, but you could build a trade of:

MIAMI gets: Anderson + Vince Edwards (in my previous trade it was Nanu)
HOUSTON gets: James Johnson + Dion Waiters

This saves Miami 5M on the cap and this time gets a cheap prospect in Edwards. They have to cough up James Johnson to DUMP Dion Waiters.
Aside from Edwards, you could also use instead Zhou or Hartenstein (after his 30 days).
Since the Rockets are taking back a bad contract with THREE years left on it, they shouldn't have to give up a 1st or Melton. If the Rockets have to give up a 1st in this deal, I'd try to haggle over another small asset from Miami.

Morey could then try to move Waiters to another team at a later date. Potentially the Kings since they are looking for wings.

 

I just don’t see any reason why Miami moves James Johnson and Tyler for ryno plus filler to get save a couple mil. Tyler makes sense yea but we don’t need him

 

Agreed. Miami is waiting on D-wade and assurances that there are minutes. With their current roster, I’d have major questions.

Of course, nabbing Winslow would be the big prize. His value is at an all time low since he’s in the last year of his deal.
I’d throw in a first and maybe one of our younger, cheaper talents to take back him.

 

Tyler Johnson + James Johnson is too much salary.

Any James Johnson trade has to be coupled with a lesser salary. Like Dion Waiters. It could also be Olynyk or Josh Richardson, but I did not include those 2 players because they are positive assets for Miami....unlike Dion Waiters who is a negative compared to those two.

 

I just don't see why Miami would give up a young core piece in Winslow to dump salary. Feels like they could make dumping moves without giving him up.

 

I’m not sure he’s core for them any longer. Winslow’s shooting and playmaking are iffy at best. They have their future SF in Richardson.

If you bring back Wade, are you playing Winslow at the point? (Which was one of their many experiments) And what about T. Johnson? Where are his minutes if Winslow is in the back court? It’s really a mess in Miami.

 

I think Winslow gets PF minutes along with Olynyk....which makes James Johnson expendable at his age. Everything I have read has Winslow as core.

 

Tyler is making 19 M, and James Johnson is making 14M. Ryno is making 20 M.

 

If Winslow lands at PF that’s like Luc Mba Moute playing the 4. He can switch it but will get beat up over time.

 

But Deuce, your main point is right on.

Miami has to shake things up. J. Johnson is the most likely trade chip. And Anderson would fit in nicely with the Miami defenders (whoever’s left).

 

I mean, its a new NBA with switching. Winslow is pretty solid, he isn't going to get beat up. And like I said, they have Olynyk as well. And maybe even Ryan Anderson!

 

Aside for Whiteside and Tyler, i think the guys Riley would like to dump most are Waiters and Olynyk with their 3 year deals, taking back one of those two should definitely help to reach a deal, maybe Olynyk more than Waiters since he'll still get paied a bit more and i don't see a reason to have both him and Anderson on the roster.

 

I agree on Waiters as someone they want to dump. Not sure I agree on Olynyk. His contract isn't bad for his production and age. They could play him vs Philly when Whiteside was unplayable because of matchups.

 

I agree. And of all teams likely to convince him to re-sign, his hometown Rockets should be near the top.

 

James Johnson seems highly unlikely to me. He’s a positive asset.

I could see them doing Tyler Johnson and a lower salary to dump.

Maybe Tyler and olynk for ryno, joe chee and nene. That would get them well under the tax. Both guys can play here, though both would have to fight for playing time.

I don’t love the idea personally. I could see James Johnson but don’t see them moving him here.

Still think bazemore is the most appropriate target.

 

I am open to the idea of a Winslow trade, but I don't see it from a value perspective for Miami. Feels like aside from trying to get Miami some cap relief for LT purposes the Rockets would have to include BOTH Melton and a 1st round pick.

 

What is a more positive asset - James Johnson or Olynyk. I think for Miami considering Olynyk's age, he is rated above Johnson. Especially with Winslow in the fold that can absorb those James Johnson minutes.

 

Fair enough, i just don't like him much as a player, and i think 36x3 is too much for a bench player with his skillset.

I'm also not sure how Miami would be able to pay and play him and Ryan, but that's their problem eventually.